We see articles like THIS (Warning: Link shows a gnarly wound on a bloke’s arse) from time to time. Where a fellow was wearing his gun in his holster and there was an Accidental Discharge. I’m not calling in Negligent, because the people were generally not doing anything wrong…. Accidents CAN happen, though they are Rare. 99% of the time it is Negligence, but not here. More on this in a moment…
This sort of an accident almost always involve two things:
1. A striker fired pistol.
2. A generic fit soft holster. Most of the time made of Neoprene or Nylon, but also sometimes of some form of softer leather.
This is a bad combination, a Striker in a Soft Holster. If this is your carry combo – I would recommend you change it because I believe that it’s dangerous. Flat out dangerous. Also dangerous are the use of Minimalist Holsters… any holster that covers only the trigger guard, or strives to be as small and light as possible. Some of these holsters can break during use, some can let objects get into the trigger guard…. and none of them protect the gun in any way, shape, or form.
There was one guy getting into a car wearing his Striker in a softer type leather holster where the holster its self rolled into the guard so when he sat down, it discharged. Another guy just leaned against a counter and it went off. So yes – these guns can “Just Go Off” when you are packing a Striker in a Soft Holster and you are not paying attention.
Really I’m coming to the opinion that if you do pack a Striker fired gun in a Soft Holster – or a Minimalist Type Holster – You are being Negligent. There is no valid reason in my mind to do so. You are either too cheap to buy a decent holster, too ignorant to look for something better, or you are packing something different enough that there are no other holster options out there. Which makes me think maybe you shouldn’t be packing it yet.
GET GOOD GEAR. A Holster is a crucial part of your Weapon System and if you don’t have a good holster – then yeah – Your ass is Negligent.
The possibility of holster-caused discharge is what made me go with a Ruger SR9, which has a thumb safety. The story that convinced me was that of a man who had a quality – – but excessively worn – – molded leather holster. I reasoned that, if I was willing to have a thumb safety on a 1911, I should be willing to have a thumb safety on my striker-fired pistol.
I’m currently working a Kahr 9094 into a Galco Classic Lite. I find the leather tight and am working on it. Hip holsters haven’t worked for me. Hummm. Geoff Who is looking.
This has me thinking about the XDs 4.0 again. I know folks hate that grip safety but I doubt it could have been made to discharge in the above situation. I’ve moved away from thumb safeties with no regrets and not going back.
Question: How can you be sure that you get the right holster the first time around? Yes, I am “cheap” as you call us, and I wear the appellation like a badge of honor. I cannot (and wouldn’t if I could) afford to buy holster after holster until I get the right one for me. I’ve known guys with a “holster drawer” filled with the ones they’ve discarded after a brief trial period. Not gonna happen with me. Currently, I carry IWB at approx. the 4 o’clock position. My EDC is a SCCY 9mm and I have a S&W SD9 also. Your thoughts?
Well, one way to know you are getting a good holster, is to not buy a cheap one. Most holsters in a Holster Drawer are because dudes cheaped out and bought discount bin junk rigs… or some novelty fad rig… But a good sturdy holster the first time, because that’s what guys end up using most of the time.
And girls. A good sturdy Kydex or Kydex and leather holster, like Crossbreed, with a solid belt like 5.11 Tactical, is hard to beat!